Not So Simple
by faithandnature
Summary: On Loki's return to Asgard, he is given his punishment- he is banished to Earth and can only return when he has felt love. He has a plan to get home quickly, but he finds out it's not so simple. Loki/OC
1. Chapter 1: Punishment

Chapter 1

Loki stood, muzzled and glowering in front of his family, surrounded by guards. _His "family",_ he scornfully corrected himself. There was a bitter, acidic taste in his mouth. It wasn't from the muzzle. Rather, it was from his sour mood.

As soon as Thor had returned them to Asgard, Loki had been put in a prison cell isolated in one of the far wings of the palace. It surprised him that he had not been taken to see Odin when he had first arrived, but Loki knew that he would be summoned eventually. For four days, he had waited. And now, here he was.

When Loki had been led into the great hall, it was nearly empty. This intrigued him. He'd been expecting a crowd, or at least some of his father's advisors. Instead, it was just the Allfather, Queen Frigga, and Thor. Not even Sif and the Warriors Three were permitted. Loki wasn't sure what this meant. He was grateful to be spared the humiliation of being punished in front of an audience, but the familial intimacy suggested by the lack of others angered him. This was not _his_ family.

The guards who had escorted him into the hall shoved him to his knees. They bowed to the Allfather, and then retreated. Loki waited, shifting uncomfortably on the floor. He refused to look at Thor or the Queen, and was having difficulty forcing himself to look at Odin. He settled for a spot just to the left of Odin's head. His muzzle had not been removed; his hands were still shackled. He assumed this was to prevent him from using his magic or famed "silver tongue" to escape, and it pleased him to know they recognized his power as a threat.

The silence stretched on. Thor seemed uneasy and Frigga looked concerned, yet Odin continued to stare at Loki impassively. _I hope they aren't expecting _me_ to start the conversation,_ Loki thought wryly. Finally, Odin stood, walked down the few steps that led to the throne, and stood in front of him. Up close, Loki could see that Odin had aged. There were more wrinkles, his hair was thinner, and his eyes looked tired. Loki briefly wondered if he himself looked any older, but was distracted when the Allfather began to speak. "Loki Odinson," he began.

Loki growled with irritation deep in his throat, audibly.

Odin ignored him, continuing on. "You know why you are here. You know what you have done. While some of us may not understand the reasons for your actions, we understand that you will not divulge them. But we are not here to discuss that. Your punishment has been decided." He paused, and to the surprise of everyone, dropped his formal demeanor. "Loki, my son, we are your family. Your anger is acceptable. Your actions are not. We have loved you throughout your past pranks and plots, and we will love you through this one, but you have gone too far. You must change. You often point out the things that make you a more qualified ruler than Thor, and you are right on nearly all counts, but there is one vital thing you lack. You have no compassion, no care for anyone but yourself. Thor, who is not yet King, has twice now put the well being of his people before his own. If this alone was his only trait, it would still make him a greater ruler than you.

"You have made it clear that you will not listen to us, so your punishment will force you to teach yourself. You will follow in the footsteps of your brother, and seek to gain the knowledge of sympathy, empathy, and love. As of today, you will be stripped of your powers and your title. You are banished to Midgard. And you will not be allowed to return until you value the life of someone else over your own." Odin pointed his staff at Loki, and as he was consumed in the bright light, he felt his power seep out of him. After Odin had taken his abilities, Loki's shackles and muzzle fell away, and he stiffly rose to his feet.

"Do you understand your task? Are there any questions?" the Allfather asked.

Loki mulled over his punishment. Surely there must be a loophole somewhere. "All I must do is fall in love?" he rasped, his voice hoarse after days without speaking.

Odin sighed. "You must feel love, Loki. You must be willing to put someone's needs before your own. It need not be romantic love to fulfill your task. It would not hurt your cause if the object of your love returned the sentiment, but it is not necessary. And remember this above all: be truthful. If you deceive the mortals you encounter, I will see that your heart is insincere and you will not be allowed to return."

"And that is all that is required of me? Once I understand these things I will be allowed to return, and gain back my powers?"

"Yes. But I think, my son, you will find that is not as trivial as you make it out to be." Odin seemed to be growing exasperated with Loki's questions. "Are you unclear on anything else?"

"No, sir." Loki replied.

"Father" Odin corrected.

"No, _father._" Loki barely contained a sneer. "But do you really find it necessary that-"

"Your chance to negotiate passed when you refused to return home with your brother when he first had you! You have made your bed, Loki Odinson, and now you will lie in it!" Odin boomed. He was angry. Loki realized he had pushed too far, though honestly he hadn't meant to. He growled again, frustrated to have angered the Allfather so quickly.

"Say your goodbyes here. Heimdall will arrive shortly to assist you through the portal." With that, Odin left the hall.

Thor looked uncomfortable. Frigga was crying softly. When he saw this, Loki felt a pang of… something. Of all his "family", he hated her the least. She approached him, and enveloped him in a hug. Loki remained awkwardly still. He'd not been held like this since he was very little, and the memory angered him. _It was all a lie!_ The acidic taste returned to his mouth.

Frigga pulled back and looked at him, her eyes still watering. "There is a girl I met once, when your father and I would take trips to Midgard. She has probably forgotten, but I have not, for she reminded me of you. Heimdall has been watching over her on my behalf. He will send you close to her. She might not be the one to help you end your banishment, but I'm sure she can help with lesser Midgardian tasks. Please, be kind. I will know if you are not." She gave him one last teary hug and briskly left the way Odin had gone.

Now Thor approached him. "Brother," he said solemnly, "I urge you to take this punishment seriously. I cannot begin to understand your pain, but it is possible to find solace, especially when one has a person they can turn to no matter the situation. Find a woman, for they are the most comfort. Please, choose wisely and go slowly if you think you've found a good soul. Though I can see you doubt me, falling in love is no easy matter. These Midgardian women are different than ours, and you will not get many second chances. Good luck. I look forward to your return." Thor hugged him briefly, and then left.

Loki still remained standing in front of the throne. As he waited for Heimdall, he processed the farewell speeches of the Queen and Thor. He was irritated by both, but in different ways. He knew the type of mortals his "mother" favored, and to be compared to a quiet, weak, _female_ one was an insult. And to think that the Queen had so little faith in his ability to independently complete his task that she felt the need to arrange someone for him- that was clearly her intention, thought Loki, the "lesser Midgardian tasks" being a weak excuse. _For all you know, she is old,_ piped up the part of his mind that still recognized the Queen as the loving mother Loki had thought she was. This was true, he conceded. The time passed differently between the two realms, so there was a chance she would be of middle age. But Loki dismissed this idea quickly, choosing instead to focus on his wounded ego.

Thor's advice had just made him angry. What did he know of his pain? No one would understand. It would take more than a stupid girl to fix the damage. And what did Thor know about the difficulties of love or women? All he had to do was give a smile here, a compliment there, and women were falling over themselves for him. He ignored Thor's idiotic advice. Loki might not have been as brutishly handsome as Thor, but knew he was attractive. He also knew how to charm- he wasn't called "Silvertongue" without reason.

Loki smiled to himself. Yes, this punishment was an easy one. Oh, he had no intention of actually falling in love. He found it to be a stupid emotion; one that caused more trouble than it was worth. He never understood why women were so desperate to find it, but he was going to use that to his advantage. His plan was simple: he would go to Midgard and find a weak-minded female, court her, and then when she asked if he loved her, he would say yes and return home. Simple. Though he knew he would be watched, Loki was a fantastic liar. If he acted the part of a loving suitor well enough, no one would know the difference. Loki figured he'd be back in Asgard within a fortnight… about 3 months on Midgard.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Heimdall. The gatekeeper walked up to Loki and stood next to him, facing the throne. "Your mother has told you of the girl. You will be staying in the same place as her, one of these Midgardian apartments. She has been told her new neighbor is from Europe. Your location is in the city they call Pittsburgh, in America. Supplies have been provided for you in your living space. If there is anything you are missing, and you cannot acquire it through her, you may ask me. I will be watching you, Laufeyson." The gatekeeper finished, still looking at the throne.

Loki clenched his jaw in anger. He hated Heimdall. "Might it be possible, Gatekeeper, that I could see what this mortal looks like as I am being transported to my apartment? I would like to know who is to be aiding me."

Heimdall was silent for a few moments, then ever so slightly inclined his head in what Loki assumed was a "yes".

Odin re-entered the throne room the way he had exited. He came to stand in front of Heimdall. "Are you ready, Gatekeeper?" Again, Hemidall nodded his head. Together, the two men opened a portal. Loki was unsure how they could do that, seeing as the Bifrost was still broken, and resolved to research it upon his return home.

Odin turned to face Loki once Heimdall had secured the portal. "My son" he said, "I am sorry to have to do this to you, but you leave me no choice. I do not know how to handle you anymore. Your mother and I will miss you greatly, as will Thor. We hope that when you return, your heart has healed." Loki was taken by surprise when the Allfather pulled him into a rare hug, and noticed the sadness in his eyes when he broke away. Loki was confused, but before he could recognize the emotion he was feeling, he stepped forward into the portal and was whisked away.


	2. Chapter 2: Introductions

**Hi! Sorry this took so long, I was having a lot of trouble figuring out how to work the different POVs. I wasn't sure if I should do one chapter Loki, one Riley, or if I should combine them, so we'll see... please let me know what you think, and thank you for the reviews I've already gotten! Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2 

Loki felt the familiar sensation of being pulled through time and space. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but he looked forward to landing. The trip to Midgard was longer than the journey to most of the other realms, so Loki took some time to reflect on his new living situation. Heimdall had said that his apartment was fully stocked; yet Thor had received nothing upon his arrival on Midgard. Did this mean Odin expected Loki to remain there for an extended period of time? He tried not to read too much into it, and instead focused on the supplies he might find.

There would be a bed hopefully, or at least a cot of some sort. A washroom… but what did they use to clean themselves with? He doubted there would be a bathhouse, which meant Loki would have to get used to those infernal showers. He figured that his closet would be full of Midgardian clothes, since he would be unable to change his outfit with magic. The one thing Loki was most worried about was the cooking area. At the palace, he had always been served his meals, and "snacks" did not exist on Asgard. He knew of fruit and vegetables, but he wasn't sure if the two realms would have the same kinds. He supposed he could ask the woman if he had to, though he wasn't looking forward to that.

Loki wondered how Heimdall would allow him to see her. He didn't actually want to meet her right away, he preferred having time to plan his first interaction. He still hoped that she would be of middle age, though it all depended on how long ago Queen Frigga had met her. If she was younger, it might pose some problems with his plan. While he wasn't opposed to using the girl to get home, he knew his mother would be watching, which made him uneasy.

And what she would be like? The Queen had said she'd been reminded of him, and that meant the woman was probably quiet and mousy, a weakling who spent too much time reading. He knew what people had thought of him as a child, he recalled bitterly. The acidic taste was returning to his mouth.

He was pulled from his brooding thoughts by the feeling of solidity returning to his extremities. He knew his journey would be ending shortly as his body began to feel less airy and more substantial. He looked down and saw that his armor was shifting into a common Midgardian outfit of denim pants called "jeans" and a hunter green V-neck shirt. He preferred his Asgardian wear, but he was surprised at how pleasantly soft these Midgard clothes were. He made a mental note to begin referring to Midgard and its inhabitants as "Earth" and "humans". He didn't want to stand out more than he already would.

Suddenly, he felt a floor beneath his feet. It was dark, so he gave his eyes a few minutes to adjust. As his vision began to focus, Heimdall's voiced boomed in his head.

"Welcome to Midgard, Laufeyson. You wanted to see the girl who will be aiding you, did you not?" Loki, caught off guard, jumped slightly, and he could have sworn the Gatekeeper sounded amused as he spoke to him.

"This is the bedroom of Riley Cross, the girl your mother met, and the one who will help you adjust to life here. You are currently invisible, so do not worry about being seen." As Heimdall continued talking about the city and his cover story, Loki looked around. It unnerved him to be in an unconscious stranger's bedroom, but when it came to Heimdall he would take what he could get. The room was dark, but he could see it was painted a pale blue. There was a laptop sitting on a thin white desk, a white chair, a black bookcase, and a low black table next to the low, wide bed in which a person- Riley- slept. Overall there was a minimalistic feel to the place.

Loki crept closer to the bed, wanting to get a better look at this "Riley Cross". It was large, roughly the same size as his bed in the palace. He knew the woman was in there, but there was a large, fluffy grey comforter and several pillows that made it hard to find her body. He finally decided the longer lump towards the edge of the bed was probably her, but the bed was so low that he had to crouch to get a good look.

_Damn,_ he inwardly grumbled. The girl that lay on her side was young, surprisingly so. _How long ago had Frigga met her?_ Loki could see how the queen would be reminded of him though, if only by appearances. Like him, she was very pale. Unlike him, she was almost transparent. Her skin was smooth, but there were dark shadows under her eyes, even in sleep, and he could see the veins that ran through there. He had the feeling that if he looked at her arm, he would be able to easily trace most of her arteries. And her hair! She had masses of thick, shiny black hair spread out behind her on the pillow. He guessed that it was probably waist-length. _Was that it?_ Loki doubted that Frigga would associate the two based on physical traits alone, but the similarities were striking enough that maybe it was all they had in common. He quickly took in the rest of her features. The girl was pretty, which was a lot coming from a citizen of the most beautiful nation in the nine realms. She had long, thick lashes, and he idly wondered what color her eyes would be. Her lips were tinted red, as if she'd just eaten some berries, and he noticed a small stud on the side of her nose, as well as several piercings on the ear that he could see.

As he was analyzing her, she shifted, hugging a pillow closer to her body and burrowing deeper. She was a sound sleeper, but Loki decided he should leave, just in case. He rose, looking down at her. It was almost comical how the comforter and pillows swallowed her in the big bed. Loki noticed a faintly glowing clock on the floor that read 2:42 a.m. He hadn't realized it was so late, and he suddenly felt the after effects of the trip to Earth. Heimdall seemed to sense Loki's exhaustion and suddenly he found himself in a different room.

"This is your apartment. The girl will probably stop by tomorrow to check on you. Remember, she thinks you are from the Midgardian continent Europe. You may create an alias if you wish, but I would advise that you be truthful. Should you need anything that you cannot attain, you may ask me. I will be watching your progress, as will the Allfather. Sleep well, Prince."

With that, Heimdall's presence was gone and Loki was alone. He walked around the apartment, located the bed, and collapsed.

* * *

Sunlight leaked through the blinds in Riley's bedroom. She pulled the covers over her face, trying to block it out, but it was too late. She sighed and stretched, tightening all of her muscles and then going limp. Riley lay there, mentally running through a list of things she needed to do that day. After a few minutes, she decided she wanted breakfast and gracefully rolled out of her bed and onto the floor. She stood up, untangling herself from the sheets, and trudged down the hallway.

She grabbed a bagel and sat down at the small kitchen table, sifting through the stacks of mail and magazines. A piece of paper caught her eye, and she recognized it as the letter she'd gotten from her landlord a couple of days ago_. Right, _she remembered_, my new neighbor should be here. _She wasn't thrilled about babysitting a foreign guy, but she'd been promised 30% off this month's rent if she helped out. She sighed, and decided to stop by after she'd taken care of a few things.

An hour later, after cleaning up a bit and paying a few bills, she changed out of the camisole and boxers she slept in to some yoga pants and a soft tee shirt that read "Pitt" across the chest in script. Riley was going to be a junior at the University of Pittsburgh next year, but she was spending the summer in her apartment on campus instead of going back home. It was early June, and Riley was excited to be all by herself for 3 months. She needed to find a roommate to share the apartment with during the school year, but she had plenty of time to find one. She padded down the hall, pulling her thick hair back into a ponytail.

"Bye" she called to no one, "I'll be back soon." She grabbed her bag, slung it across her body, locked the apartment, and walked five feet to the next unit. _I hope he speaks English,_ she thought as she knocked on the door.

* * *

Loki awoke with a start. It took him a few minutes to remember where he was. _Ah yes… Earth. _He sat up in bed and looked around the room. It was mostly empty, save for the bed he was in and a small chest on the opposite wall. He got up and, realizing he had slept in his jeans, decided that a change of clothes was the first thing to find. He went over to the chest and opened the first drawer, which seemed to contain only underwear and socks. The second drawer held shirts, long sleeved and short sleeved. The last drawer was full of pants and shorts. Loki could not remember the last time he had worn shorts- in Asgard they were only for young boys.

He grabbed another pair of jeans, a lighter wash this time, and picked out a nice navy tee shirt. There was a door to his left that Loki thought must be the washroom, but it turned out to be a closet. Button-up shirts, dress pants, suit jackets, and a coat hung on the rack. There were several pairs of shoes lined up on the floor, and a few belts and a nice scarf were looped around a peg. _How long does the Allfather think I will be_?, Loki angrily questioned. He slammed the door and stormed out of the bedroom.

There was a door on his right, and then the hall opened up into a larger room with a cooking area on the left. He opened the door and was pleased to see a bathroom. Loki preferred baths, but that wasn't an option, so he quickly showered and changed. He glanced at himself in the full-length mirror on the wall, assessing his appearance. It wasn't ideal, but he looked Midgardian. As he ran a hand though his hair, trying to keep it out of his face, there was a knock at the door.

_The girl! What was her name? Riley. Riley Cross._ Loki scrambled, trying to remember what Heimdall had said. _I'm European… how do I do that?_ There was another knock. Frustrated, Loki stalked to the front door and threw it open.

He blinked in the sunlight and stared down at the girl. She was surprisingly tall. Loki stood proud at 6'2", and he guessed she was about 5'7" or so. She was dressed in tight black pants that seemed to be made out of the same material as her shirt. A band had pulled her hair back, but there were bangs that swept across her forehead and almost covered her right eye. He was reminded of his curiosity the night before and peered into her eyes. They were big and hazel, a pretty mix of brilliant greens and browns. While his were pure green, Loki could see that her eye color was probably one more thing that had reminded the Queen of him. Seeing her awake and in the light of day, he realized she was not just pretty- she was beautiful, even by Asgardian standards. He noted this with indifference, reminding himself that he didn't want to have to use the favored mortal of the Queen to get back home, and that she was only there in case he had trouble with Earth and its unfamiliarity.

He looked away, not wanting to scare her off with his staring, though now he was aware that she was studying him. He cleared his throat to discreetly distract her, and then let a smug smile play on his lips to let her know that she'd been caught. She calmly let her eyes meet his again, and then smirked right back at him before adopting an open, earnest looking expression.

"Hi," she stated slowly and clearly, "Do you speak English?"

Loki had to fight not to show his irritation. His smirk had not even unsettled her in the slightest, and then she had the audacity to give him this idiotic greeting. _Does she think I am an infant? Stupid girl!_

"Yes, I believe I am quite proficient in the English language, thank you." His frosty tone didn't even faze her, though his accent seemed to surprise her a bit.

"Thank God for that." Her mouth quirked up in a half-smile and she stuck out her hand. "I'm Riley Cross. I'm your next-door neighbor. I don't know if the landlord told you but I'm here if you need anything or have any questions." Her voice reminded him of fire. It was light, and things seemed to dance off her tongue, but he had the feeling that, if provoked, she could burn with her words.

"I'm…" he racked his brain trying to think of an appropriate Earth name, but failed. "Loki. Just Loki." He had decided at the last minute not to lie about his name, only so that if he ever needed to actually tell the girl the truth, she would be more inclined to believe him. He knew, however, that his last name was even more odd than his first, so he'd left it off.

She looked skeptical, but shrugged it off. "Ok… Loki. Uh… do you have any questions?" She shifted her bag and glanced down the hallway of the apartment building as if she was ready to leave. Loki stared at her, frustrated. He was fairly well read on Earth customs, and had acquired knowledge from his time spent here during his attempted takeover, but he was too proud to ask the girl for help so soon. Especially if she wasn't interested in aiding him, as her behavior suggested. But he still needed her to like him; he needed her on his side. Plus, if he was nice to her, Queen Frigga would take note, and that could shorten his time on Earth.

He let out a sigh full of resignation and swallowed his pride. "There are a few things actually, if you wouldn't mind. Please, come in." He stepped aside to let the girl enter his apartment.


	3. Chapter 3: Misunderstandings

**Hi! oh my god I am so sorry this update took so long but my laptop broke and I'm about to go to college so I've been crazy busy. I'm sorry the story is slow right now, I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do and how to do it... and I'm also sorry if there are a lot of mistakes but it's really late and I'm dead tired. Please, read and review if you want. I hope you like it!**

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Chapter 3

Riley stepped into the apartment, dazed. When the door had swung open, she'd had to fight to keep a neutral face. On the inside, she was gasping like a fish out of water. This guy was _hot._ That was the first thing she'd thought, quickly followed by _this guy is weird._ She couldn't explain it, but there was an odd vibe from him. It was probably because he was European. Culture shock and all that. She noticed him checking her out at her and took the opportunity to quickly do the same. He had high, sharp cheekbones that made his face look too thin, but she figured he was just tired from his flight. When he was better rested, she was sure his looks were killer. His nose was regal, if that made sense, and his lips were thin, but not unattractively so. His eyes were an unreal shade of green, like a child had picked up the green Crayola crayon and colored in his irises. He was incredibly pale, and for the first time she understood what people meant when they talked about porcelain skin. But her favorite feature by far was his hair. It was pitch-black, shiny, and straight, though it flipped and curled a bit at the ends. His hair medium length, reaching the base of his neck, and it was messy. It looked like he'd styled it in that swoopy, California boy style that was so popular these days, but on him it was so effortless and natural that she could tell he'd just gotten up. _That's so hot_, Riley thought. She loved longer hair on guys. She liked to have something to run her fingers through, or to grab on to. Her eyes moved down, assessing his body. He was thin, but definitely muscular. His shirt was thin enough that she could see a faint outline of his abs, and his jeans were slung low on his hips. She couldn't really tell, but his legs seemed strong, as if he played soccer or rode horses. That was a sport in Europe, right?

Her musings on equestrian athletics was broken by a faint noise from the man in front of her. She looked up, noticing his smug face. _So he thinks he's caught me staring? You were staring first, buddy. _She took a deep breath to hide her annoyance at his attitude and gave him a smirk to challenge his. _Two can play that game_, she thought.

Riley quickly dropped it though; as she realized it was better to not anger her new neighbor, especially if she was going to help him out. _Well, _she thought, _Let's start with the basics. _

"Hi. Do you speak English?" She realized she was speaking to him like he was a child, but she wasn't really sure how to do introductions. Riley was a fairly shy person, and had trouble starting conversations with her fellow students, let alone strangers from other countries. She hoped he wasn't too offended.

His icy reply told her that he was indeed offended, and that yes, he spoke English. _Oh well. He'll survive_. He seemed pretty fluent, which surprised her almost as much as the sound of his voice did. His voice was deep and soothing, but it had an edge to it. She was reminded of a big cat when he spoke. His accent was odd, too. He sounded almost English, but if he were English, he wouldn't really need an American to help him out, would he? She wasn't sure, but she was definitely relived that there wasn't a language barrier between them.

"Thank God for that." Some of her worries melted away and she stuck out her hand, though he didn't seem to notice. He was too busy sulking. "I'm Riley Cross. I'm your next-door neighbor. I don't know if the landlord told you but I'm here if you need anything or have any questions." He just looked at her impassively, before slowly answering.

"I'm… Loki. Just Loki." He let out a small sigh after introducing himself and Riley got the impression that he found these introductions, and her, annoying.

"Ok… Loki. Uh… do you have any questions?" She felt stupid. Obviously, the guy could speak English, and besides the weird (probably European) name, he appeared totally fine. Maybe her landlord had misunderstood and the guy didn't need help at all. Riley stood there uncomfortably, waiting for him to answer, but he was too busy staring at her with his brows furrowed. She looked down the hall to see if any of the other neighbors were witnessing this awkward meet-and-greet. Thankfully it was empty, but it was a small comfort.

He sighed again, drawing her attention. "There are a few things actually, if you wouldn't mind." She looked up at him, surprised, and cocked an eyebrow at his calm tone of voice. "Come in." He was trying to be polite, it seemed. He moved to the side and Riley entered the apartment.

It had the same layout as hers, but it was much emptier. There was a simple black futon couch and a chair in the large living space and TV on the opposite wall, but that was about it. Loki shut the door and then stood next to her awkwardly.

"So, um… shall we sit?" He gestured to the furniture and then walked over and stretched out on the futon, not waiting for Riley. She followed, and sat in the chair. Loki was watching her with an unreadable expression of his face. She held his gaze for an uncomfortable amount of time, and then cleared her throat.

"You had questions?" she asked. He continued to stare at her, like he was looking for something. "Yes," he stated, looking away. "I need some information. Food. Local businesses. Washing facilities… and funding. I'll also need a form of temporary transportation. I assume you have a car. Can you do that?" He spoke as if he was issuing orders, not asking for help. While his authoritativeness was somewhat attractive, his sense of entitlement was not. He wasn't even looking at her, like he was exasperated with the situation. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Sure. I can do all that. I'd be happy to, really, if I was asked politely. But I'm not going to clear my schedule to give you a tour and chauffer you around without so much as a 'please and thank you'. If you want my help, you should start acting like it. Can _you _do that?" She realized she was being harsh, but something about this guy really pissed her off. He was in a new country and was acting like a three year old in time-out. Shit, he hadn't even been in the country for 24 hours and it seemed like he'd already decided everything was beneath him.

He snapped his head towards her, his eyes blazing. "_Excuse me?"_ Riley stood her ground and calmly stared right back.

"I'm waiting," she said.

Loki was livid. He took a moment to calm down and as he did so he realized something. He was angry at the girl, obviously, but also with himself. She had a sharp tongue, as he'd predicted, and a short temper, but her words were not out of line here on Earth. He scolded himself for slipping up so quickly and assuming she would take his orders like a maid of Asgard. He was a prince, but not among humans, and he would have to remember to act as civilian as possible.

Loki worked to mask his anger. It would do no good to lose Riley's assistance, and he was getting closer to that every time he spoke to her. He took a deep breath, willing his famed silver tongue to aid him. "I am sorry. It's just that I do not wish to burden you. I thought that if everything was seen to today, you would no longer be obligated to help me and could return to your own life. I apologize for my rudeness, and I would very much appreciate your guidance." He was overdoing it, and he could tell Riley thought so too. But he hoped she would see the advantages: she wouldn't have to see him, and Loki could have time to plan his way back home.

He'd known from the start that he didn't want to "fall in love" with Queen Frigga's favorite mortal, but he was sure now that there was no way Riley would work, even as a last resort. Not only would Heimdall and the queen and king be watching, but the girl seemed intelligent and stubborn, two things that posed problems. He was a good liar, but he wasn't sure if he could pretend to be in love. After all, it was something he'd never experienced, and a smart woman might see through it. No, what Loki needed was a dumb girl, one who was too blinded by girlish fantasies of "Prince Charming" to question him. Honestly, it shouldn't be difficult to find one. He'd been to earth before, and he knew how vapid most of the humans were.

He could feel her still staring at him so he gave her his best contrite look. She sighed heavily. "Fine. Apology accepted. Let's get a move on." As she ruffled in her bag for her keys, Loki studied her. He'd been studying her almost constantly since he'd opened his door thirty minutes ago. He hadn't even tried to hide it; he could sense that he put Riley on edge and he liked that. It made him feel powerful, because truthfully she put him on edge, too. He couldn't figure out why Frigga liked her so much or how she was similar to him, but there was something about her. She irritated him, but also amused him. She made him nervous and unsure of himself, which he hated, but he was dependent on her for at least a few days.

_It might not be awful_, he thought, as he stared at her. Besides their rocky start, she had no glaring personality defects, and she was pretty to look at. He wasn't interested in being "friends"; she had nothing to offer him, but he could have had uglier neighbors.

Again, he assessed her appearance. He squinted, trying to figure out what "Pitt" was. Riley cleared her throat and as he looked at her unamused face, he realized it appeared that he'd been staring at her chest. She cocked an eyebrow, waiting.

Loki was speechless. He wanted to kick himself. At the rate he was going, she'd never speak to him again. He silently cursed as he opened his mouth and tried to verbalize that it was a misunderstanding, but she cut him off.

"Uh-huh, save it." She stood up, looking at him with impatience. He recognized it as the one he often wore when dealing with Thor. "Let's get this over with," she huffed, and started to walk out the apartment, not checking to see if Loki was following. He had to race to catch up to her; losing time when he grabbed what he assumed was the unit's key off the kitchen counter and a leather jacket from the closet. As he followed Riley out to parking lot of the complex, he glared at the sky, sure that Heimdall was laughing at him from above.


	4. Chapter 4: Concession

**Hi! I am so so so sorry that it's taken me this long to update! It's just been a big transition into school and there's so much work. But that's not a good enough excuse and so as an apology I will try my absolute hardest to post a chapter every 2 weeks... I already started chapter 5, so fingers crossed I won't lose my motivation! Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this chapter... I'm trying to get things moving, at least so y'all can kind of see where this is going. As always, all reviews are awesome and totally welcome!**

* * *

Chapter 4

Riley shut the door behind her and made a beeline to the couch. She grabbed the nearest pillow and screamed into it. She fell back and zoned out, mentally reflecting on her day.

She had given Loki a tour of the city, which mostly consisted of her talking and driving while he stared out the window, grunting every now and then to acknowledge her. That had gotten real old real fast, and after some choice words on her part he had miraculously perked up and started asking weird questions about the government and "the leaders" of Pittsburgh and "defenses against opponents". She couldn't figure him out. At one point Loki mentioned that he'd been to New York City, but he didn't seem to have much to say about his visit. After the tour, they'd gone back to the apartments to make a shopping list. Surprisingly, his pantry and fridge were fully stocked with every type of food imaginable, though he didn't seem to recognize most of it and had a particularly hard time wrapping his head around the concept of microwaveable macaroni and cheese.

After Riley showed him how to make some of the more basic dishes for lunch, they had gone to the Laundromat. Loki didn't have enough dirty clothes for a load so she cleaned hers while teaching him the importance of separating his darks and whites. Loki had been surprised at how aggressive people could get about laundry and had made her promise to go with him the first time he washed his own clothes.

Then they'd gone to the bank, because Loki had found a slip of paper on the counter with what Riley had identified as account information. He'd been extremely pleased to find that he had some spending money, which Riley thought was weird- who _wouldn't_ bring money to a foreign country?

With anyone else, the day would have been tedious, but manageable. With Loki, it was insane. She'd known the guy for all of 6 hours and she was already plotting his death. If he wasn't completely ignoring her existence, he was staring at her or asking questions about her way of life with barely-concealed horror. She didn't know how they lived where he was from, but he seemed to think that the American lifestyle was confusing and beneath him. She had tried a few times to get details from him about his own life, but he expertly shut her down or skirted the issue.

All in all, Riley thought her new neighbor was just really, really rude. It was a shame, because he was so hot, but whatever. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to help him for much longer. She figured he'd be settled and on his own within the next week, so she could carry out her summer without having to babysit the rude foreign guy. With one last mental note to ask her landlord for 40% instead of 30% (for her frayed nerves and the inevitable grey hairs she'd find tomorrow), Riley fell asleep right where she was, sprawled out on the couch.

* * *

It had been 4 days and 7 hours in Earth time since Loki had arrived, and 18 since he had seen Riley Cross. The prince leaned on the kitchen counter, peering out of the small window over the sink, feeling irritated as usual. He was in the process of eating what claimed to be a "Pop-tart" but Loki found it disgusting and instead longed for a heartier meal of sausage or oatmeal.

_You're wasting time!_ His subconscious shouted at him. It was true. Loki sighed and brushed the crumbs off of his shirt. He had spent the last 3 days skulking around the places Riley had showed him that appeared to be the most popular amongst younger women. His plan had been to snag a maiden in the first day or two and immediately being the process of courting her… or "dating" as humans called it. It was only the fourth day, but still Loki felt discouraged. It was hard to act interested when one didn't even need magic to read these girls' minds. They were mostly all so vapid and shallow that he could tell just by glancing that they wouldn't be able to hold a conversation for more than 5 minutes. Not that all the girls were bad- he'd seen a few appealing ones, but his poor attitude mixed with his total lack of knowledge on Midgardian women left him floundering. He could go to Riley for guidance, and he was sure that was Queen Frigga's intent- but he would rather live with Thor than ask the girl for dating advice.

To say that he and Riley weren't getting along was putting it mildly. They didn't fight, but when she looked at him he felt like he'd just taken a sip of some poisoned wine, and her facial expressions told him she felt the same. He tried to be polite when she had assisted him on his first day but he had been so focused on paying attention and learning as much as he could that he'd forgotten to keep up his appearance. Then the other day the smoke alarm in his kitchen had gone off and he'd frantically run to her. Riley had laughed and calmly fixed it, but it had ended on a bad note when Loki, feeling humiliated for acting like such a child, had been too brusque toward her, and ended up accidentally insulting her. The more aggravated she seemed towards him, the more frustrated he got, which made him lash out, which made her even angrier… it was an unbreakable cycle. Loki honestly didn't want to make her mad; he knew that a key point to getting back home was by acting like a changed man, and the best way to convince the Allfather was through the Queen… and if Frigga saw him being nice to her prized human, she would be more likely to buy his act of being "in love" with another girl.

Which brought him back to his original problem. _It's still early,_ he conceded, _give it another week_. If he hadn't made any progress with the women by then, he'd start making a plan B.

* * *

A week later, Loki was running out of patience and clean clothes. In the past 7 days he had managed to make absolutely zero progress towards finding a woman to date. He had continued to hang out at the local coffee shop, a few popular eateries, and had begun taking walks around the city. He'd even found a little bookstore on his own that he visited every few days, but still he hadn't found a single girl who was suitable. He needed someone with substance, but not too much because she had to fall for his act. Loki had also done a fairly good job of avoiding Riley. Since he was essentially settled in, they only occasionally crossed paths when coming or leaving their living units, yet their encounters had gotten increasingly more awkward and while he wanted to her to like him so that Frigga would think he was changing, he knew better than to force it. She clearly wasn't feeling amiable towards him, so he gave her some space to cool off.

But the laundry… this was a predicament. Loki had paid attention in the laundromat but it had been so complicated; he knew he needed her help. She had agreed to come with him the first time he laundered his clothes but he didn't want to anger her by reminding her of her promise. Loki paused for a moment, realizing what he'd just been thinking. The bitter taste returned to his mouth. _Me, a prince, worrying about bothering some mortal girl! This humiliation is punishment enough._ He, Loki Laufeyson, didn't care about others people's feelings. He didn't care if people liked him or trusted him and he never tried to make them. He didn't know how to and he didn't want to either. But for right now, he needed Riley as an ally of sorts. For a moment Loki worried that he wasn't a good enough actor to convince Riley to like him, or trust him. If it were up to him, he'd have nothing to do with her, but in reality, he needed her. Was he willing to do whatever to convince her? He wasn't sure.

But Loki was an inherently clean person, and he _was _willing to do a lot to get his socks to stop smelling. _You've attempted to destroy Manhattan with the help of an alien army, you can handle a girl_, he reminded himself. He was right, he needed to just suck it up and ask Riley for some help. He didn't even need to try and befriend her if he didn't want to, he could just take it slow and make small talk while they waited. As he gathered his clothes he planned his approach. He figured he should try and make a nice gesture to express his gratitude, but what? He thought about what would be considered appropriate here on Earth… jewelry? Too serious. Flowers? Too romantic. Food? Food was tricky but it was probably his best chance. After he got all of his things in order, he went to the kitchen and searched for something nicer than microwavable pizza bites. He rummaged through the fridge, finally finding something suitable- chocolate covered strawberries. Feeling pleased with himself (and though he'd never admit it, slightly grateful to Heimdall for providing some fancier food), Loki grabbed his clothes and set off for the apartment next door.


	5. Chapter 5: A Quick Update

**Hi hi hi! I know I said last time that I was going to try and update every two weeks and while I had planned to do that, life got it the way so now I'm already behind on the next chapter… so I thought of a new plan. I'm going to take the next 3 weeks to finish out this semester of college and write in my spare time (it relaxes me after a cram study session) and then by the time I'm on break I should have at least two chapters of pre-written material… and I'll keep writing things in advance so that my updates are more frequent and y'all don't have to wait for months like you did for the last chapter. I'm also starting to plan out two new fics that I hope to start posting in January… one about Loki again, and the other one about Teen Wolf, so that should be fun. I know it's not ideal but I'm as slow as a snail when it comes to writing and editing my stories and this way it's all nice and organized and I don't feel so rushed and sloppy. Otherwise, thank you so much for everyone that reads and follows and reviews! If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them, and I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving… and if you're not American then I hope everyone had a lovely week of November 19th :)**


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